Doosan Enerbility starts manufacturing parts for new nuclear reactors

Workers pose for a group photo at Doosan Enerbility's main factory in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday, during a ceremony celebrating the start of the manufacturing of major components for Shin Hanul reactors 3 and 4. Courtesy of Doosan Enerbility

By Park Jae-hyuk

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province ― A 17,000-ton forging press, 23 meters high and eight meters wide, was operating on Monday at Doosan Enerbility's main factory in the southeastern industrial city.

The world's largest four-pillar type forging press was processing 200 tons of alloy steel from the company's blast furnace, in order to produce materials for the manufacture of steam generators that will be 23 meters in height and weigh 775 tons.

Doosan Enerbility said the work is part of the manufacturing process for major components to be installed in Shin Hanul reactors 3 and 4, which will be built in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, by 2032 and 2033, respectively.

The power plant equipment supplier showcased this work to the media, during Monday's ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the manufacturing of components for the two reactors.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) CEO Whang Joo-ho attended the ceremony, along with South Gyeongsang Province Governor Park Wan-soo, Changwon Mayor Hong Nam-pyo and lawmakers representing the city's residents.

Lee, who announced a 5.3 percent electricity rate hike earlier that day, criticized the previous Moon Jae-in administration's nuclear phase-out policy for causing fundamental problems that cannot be solved by a couple of rate hikes or the Korea Electric Power Corp.'s (KEPCO) self-rescue plans.

“To solve the problem, urgent restoration of the ecosystem for Korea's nuclear power industry, as well as efforts to secure global competitiveness, have become more important than anything,” the minister said.

Doosan Enerbility Chairman Park Gee-won said in a press release that he would like to thank the central and municipal governments, as well as all stakeholders including the project owner and subcontractors, for supporting the manufacturing of major components for Shin Hanul 3 and 4.

“While making efforts to accelerate the revitalization of Korea's nuclear power industry, we will do our best to contribute to enhancing Team Korea's competitiveness in exporting nuclear reactors,” he said.

In March, Doosan Enerbility signed a 2.9 trillion won ($2.1 billion) contract with KHNP to supply equipment for the new reactors.

In addition to steam generators, the Doosan Group subsidiary will provide the state-run energy firm with 14.8-meter nuclear reactors weighing 533 tons, 70-meter turbine generators weighing 3,110 tons, man-machine interface systems and reactor coolant pumps.

For the project, Doosan Enerbility decided to join hands with over 460 subcontractors in Korea. It finished making 32 billion won worth of orders last year and plans to make an additional 220 billion won worth of orders this year.